Golf in Greece
A small but serious golf nation built around Costa Navarino, the best resort in the eastern Mediterranean, with four championship courses above the Ionian Sea, a classic Athens club and island golf on Crete and Corfu. The courses that matter, the seasons and how to plan it.
Photograph: The Dunes Course, Costa Navarino, The Dunes Course, Costa Navarino, via Google
Why golf in Greece
Greece is not a numbers destination. It has a handful of courses rather than the hundreds of Spain or Portugal, but it has something most of the Mediterranean cannot match: Costa Navarino, a single resort in the south west Peloponnese with four championship courses, two of them ranking among the finest in continental Europe. Named the world's best golf venue at the 2025 World Golf Awards, it has done for Greek golf what a great links does for a small town, putting the whole country on the travelling golfer's map almost overnight.
Beyond Navarino the appeal is the pairing. This is a country of warm winters, long shoulder seasons and some of the most beautiful coastline on earth, where a round at Glyfada sits twenty minutes from the Acropolis and a morning on Crete is followed by an afternoon among Minoan ruins and a long Greek lunch. Greece suits the golfer who wants two or three excellent rounds wrapped inside a genuine holiday, in spring or autumn when the rest of Europe is too cold or too crowded.
The regions
The Peloponnese
Messinia and the Costa Navarino resort, the heart of Greek golf, with four championship courses above the Ionian Sea, several luxury hotels and the most complete golf base in the country.
Athens and the coast
Glyfada, an established club on the Athenian Riviera twenty minutes from the city and the airport, the easiest round to combine with a few days of antiquity and dining in the capital.
The Islands
Crete, Corfu and Rhodes, where a single course on each island pairs warm, reliable golf with a beach and culture holiday and the longest playable season in the country.
The courses that matter
Costa Navarino, The Dunes
Greece's first signature course and still its best, a par 71 of about 6,581 yards that runs from the Ionian shore up into olive groves and along the Selas river, the anchor of any Greek golf trip.
Costa Navarino, The Bay
A par 71 seaside course of around 6,139 yards with two holes playing along the historic Bay of Navarino, more compact than the Dunes and full of sea and mountain views.
Costa Navarino, The Hills
The newest of the resort courses, laid by the two time Masters champion across rolling hills above the coast, a modern, strategic test that completed Navarino's quartet.
Costa Navarino, International Olympic Academy
A par 72 of around 6,366 meters sharing the Hills site, with sweeping views over Navarino Bay and the Ionian Sea, the fourth course at the resort.
Glyfada Golf Club of Athens
The capital's club on the Athenian Riviera, originally shaped by Donald Harradine and modified by Robert Trent Jones for the 1979 World Cup, a mature, tree lined course minutes from the airport.
The Crete Golf Club
A dramatic desert style course in the hills above Hersonissos, opened in 2003 and the best golf on the islands, with bold elevation changes and views down to the sea.
Corfu Golf Club
A long established parkland course set in the green Ropa valley in the heart of Corfu, an unusual inland setting of rivers and meadows on a famously lush island.
Afandou Golf Course
A long, traditional course on the east coast of Rhodes near the beach at Afandou, the island option for those pairing golf with a Dodecanese holiday.
Designers and opening years verified June 2026. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| April to June | Warm, dry, wildflowers and firm turf | Prime spring window, the courses at their best |
| September and October | Warm sea, settled weather, smaller crowds | The other peak, ideal for a golf and holiday mix |
| November to March | Mild in the south and islands, cooler inland | Workable winter sun on Crete and the Peloponnese |
| July and August | Hot, busy, bright | Play early, rest in the afternoon heat |
The Peloponnese, Crete and the islands stay mild enough for winter golf, while Athens and the mainland are best in the shoulder seasons. Always confirm tee times before you travel.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Costa Navarino courses | Around €200 a round | The Dunes, Bay, Hills and IOA courses |
| The Crete Golf Club | Around €75 | Best golf on the islands |
| Glyfada, Athens | Around €50 | Minutes from the city and the airport |
| A week, all in | Around €2,500 to €4,500 per person | Navarino based, good hotels, a hire car, excluding flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
For Costa Navarino the smartest arrival is Kalamata airport, around forty five minutes from the resort, with seasonal flights from across Europe, while Athens is the year round gateway and a four hour drive or a short domestic hop away. Athens international serves Glyfada directly, a twenty minute transfer down the coast. For the islands, fly into Heraklion or Chania for the Crete Golf Club, and into Corfu or Rhodes for those courses. A hire car is the easy way to combine regions, though a Navarino only trip can be done with resort transfers alone.
Where to stay
Costa Navarino is the obvious base, with several hotels on the estate including The Romanos, The Westin and the adults only Mandarin Oriental, all with direct access to the four courses. In Athens a hotel along the Glyfada and Vouliagmeni coast keeps the golf, the beaches and the city all within reach, and on the islands the resort hotels near each course pair the round with a beach holiday. One planner can match the base to your courses and your dates.
Plan your Greece golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Greece golf questions
When is the best time to play golf in Greece?
Spring and autumn, roughly April to June and September to October, are ideal, with warm settled weather and the courses at their best. Winter stays mild and very playable in the Peloponnese, Crete and the islands. July and August are hot, so play early and rest in the afternoon.
Which is the best golf course in Greece?
The Dunes Course at Costa Navarino in the Peloponnese, a Bernhard Langer design opened in 2010, is the country's leading course. Its sister Bay Course by Robert Trent Jones Jr and the Hills Course by Jose Maria Olazabal make Costa Navarino the best golf resort in the eastern Mediterranean.
How much does golf cost in Greece in 2026?
Indicative 2026 green fees run to around €200 at the Costa Navarino courses, roughly €75 at the Crete Golf Club and nearer €50 at Glyfada in Athens. A week built around Costa Navarino with a good hotel and a car typically lands between €2,500 and €4,500 per head. Always confirm directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Costa Navarino openings, Mediterranean shoulder season value and the trips worth taking. Every other week.